Fletching jig



R. H. MARTIN Aug. '4, 1959 FLETCHING JIG 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15. 1956 INVENTOR ROYCE H. MARTIN Aug; 4, 1959' R. H. MARTIN FLETCHING JIG Filed Nov. 13. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 a sum a f3 1 tll lli. m:

I INVENT OR ROYCE H. MARTIN R. H. MARTIN FLETCHING JIG Aug. 4, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 13. 1956 INVENTOR ROYCE MARTIN R. H. MARTIN Aug. 4, 1959 FLETCHING JIG Filed NOV. 13. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ROYCE H. MARTIN ATTORNEY United States Patent FLETCHING JIG Royce H. Martin, Everett, Wash.

Application November 13, 1956, Serial No. 621,776

6 Claims. (Cl. 144289) This invention relates to a multipurpose arrow fietchting jig, intended to provide a much wider field of usefulness in the art of arrow fietching than .any prior single device of this kind.

The present arrow fletching jig allows the selective use of a clamp or pins in applying the fletching to an arrow, and is not restricted to a given number of feathers constituting the fietching. Therefore, to fully appreciate the versatile use of the invention, a brief explanation of the fletching of various types of arrows is believed to be in order.

The most common type of arrow is one having three feathers, or a substitute fletching, set at 120 intervals around the rear end of the shaft. They may be set parallel to the shaft, or at an angle, usually not more than 30. This type of arrow is used in manyforms of the sport of archery, from flight shooting to big game hunting arrows.

The next most common arrow is one feathers, or equivalent substitute fietching. The fletch may be parallel to the shaft or set at an angle. This type of arrow is used principally for hunting and field shooting.

The flue-flue or bird arrow is an arrow that has a single feather which is spiraled several times around the shaft. This gives a brush-like appearance, and when shot it will travel a short distance, lose its speed and fall to the ground. This type of arrow is primarily used to hunt small game when close shots can be obtained. Its real handicap is that the accuracy of this type of arrow is very poor.

The six or more feathered arrow is also used for small game and bird hunting. It is far superior to the fluefiue, in that the fletch is applied the same as on three or four feathered arrows, which type of fletch tends. to stabilize the arrow. The distance of travel may be controlled by the pitch of the fietching. This type of arrow is not in common use primarily due to the fact that present day fietching jigs do not provide for this type of fietching.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a multipurpose arrow fletching jig intended to fletch all of the above-described arrows, with the use of either clamp or pins, each in its entirety and without special parts or gadgets to fletch one or the other.

Another object is' to make a fietching jig which provides for the use of a clamp for holding and applying the fletch to an arrow at any degree up to the maximum.

Another object resides in allowing the use of pins in applying the iletching to an arrow, in a manner that permit s as many degrees as may be desired, such as in fletching a flue-flue or bird arrow.

A further object is to provide a fletching jig which permits a multiplicity of feathers to be applied to an arrow, restricted only in multiples of 15".

A still further object is to'provide means whereby the fletch maybe cutto desired length andtrimmed. This having four 2 places the entire operation of arrow fietching within the scope of a single device.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved jig showing the movable clamp supporting means in a position to support a. feather clamp.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the jig shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation of the jig shown in Fig. 1 illustrating the degree scale on the outer face of what may be termed, for the sake of convenience, the front end or wall.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1 looking at the inside face of the front end of the jig illustrating the clamp supporting means raised in full lines, and also showing the scale on the inner face of the front Wall.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. 1

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is "a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a jig similar to that shown in Fig. 1 but with a minor modification in the base of the frame, and illustrating how the clamp supporting arms appear in their downward or inoperative positions when it is desired to fletch the arrow shaft with the use of pins.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are cross sectional views of arrow shafts with different selections of feathers attached thereto, depending on the use of the arrow, and Fig. 10 for example shows how the feather is pitched at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft.

Similar reference characters designate cor-responding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring first to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the shaft A of an arrow is provided with a nock portion B including the feeler B, the said shaft having applied thereto, a feather F by a clamp designated generally as C and hereinafter more fully described in detail.

The arrow shaft A is supported in the frame of the jig by the upstanding end walls 1 and 2 which may be respectively identified as the front wall and the rear wall for purposes of description. In Fig. 1 the walls 1 and 2 have their lower portions connected by fastenings 3 to a block of wood 4 which constitutes the base of the frame. One edge of the upper face of the base 4 is prc vided with a ruler or scale 5, and before the arrow shaft is placed in the frame the feather F may be cut and trimmed on the face of the base 4, using the ruler or scale 5 as a guide for dimensioning the feathers to be used.

The shaft A of the arrow is cradled in an upwardly opening notch 2 at the upper end of the rear wall 2 while the opposite or nock end of the shaft is nonro'tatably clamped in a socket element which may be manually turned through an appropriate angle to permit the setting of the feathers F in the desired spaced angular relationship.

As will be seen from Fig. 1 for example, the front wall 1 of the frame is provided with an offset bracket 6 having an opening 7 for rotatably receiving the socket element designated generally as 8 (see Figs. 5 and 6). This element is preferably made in two parts 8 and 8* so that the portion 8 may serve as a finger gripping handle to turn the cylindrical socket element in the opening 7. Also, this arrangement enables a spring index member or pointer 9 to be clamped between the parts 8 and 8 by the screw 10. The opposite ends of the spring or resilient pointer 9 frictionally engage with the outer face with an identical matching scale 14.

The cavity of the socket element receives a substantially. U-shaped nock gripping spring 15 (Figs. 5 and 6) which firmly grips and centers the nock end of the arrow shaft.

Again referring to Figs. 1, 5 and 6, it will be seen that the portion 8 of the socket element 8 which projects from the inner face 13 of the bracket 6 has sleeved thereover a collar 16 having thereon a radial pointer 17 for use in connection with the scale 14. The collar 16 and the spring are held in place in the socket cavity by a cross pin 18 which serves as a key for receiving the conventional notch in the nock B to prevent rotational movement of the arrow shaft except as controlled by the user through the manipulation of the handle portion 95 of the cylindrical socket element.

As previously explained, the compass type scales 12 and 14 are identical, and the pointers 9 and 17 are alined and radially set with respect to the axis of the socket element 8 so that duplicate degree readings may be observed from either side of the bracket 6. The degree marks on each scale are preferably 15 apart, and for convenience in reading the most popular settings of feathers are indicated by the heaviest lines, and the second most popular settings are indicated by the moderately heavy lines on the scales, while the lightest lines or marks indicate intermediate settings. It will, of course, be understood that the settings may be set in any multiple of 15 When the arrow is to be fletched its shaft is cradled in the notch 2 and held by the socket element 8, and the scales are set to zero for the installation of the first feather. Thereafter, of course, the socket element is rotated to the desired angular distance to provide the location of the additional or succeeding feathers required.

To assist in the placing of the feathers and their securement to the shaft in the customary manner by an adhesive, the clamp means C is provided. As will be seen from Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, the clamp means includes the swingable clamp supporting arms 19 and 20 whose lower ends are pivoted and horizontally shiftable through the medium of the thumb screws 19 and 20 respectively disposed in the horizontal slots 19 and 20 in the angu larly disposed or normally horizontal portion of each arm. The arms 19 and 20 are of identical formation and may be adjusted horizontally from an alined position, that is, with the axis of the pivots co-axially disposed or in line, to one side or the other to cause the feather to assume an angular position across the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft to cause the arrow shaft to turn or rotate during flight. As will be seen from Fig. 4, the clamp supporting arm 19, and likewise its counterpart 20, are controlled by manipulating the heads of the thumb screws whose shanks are adjustably threaded into tapped openings in the end walls 1 and 2, respectively.

One edge of the elongate body of the angular portion of each arm is provided with a scale mark 19 (a similar marknot shownbeing provided on arm 20) for co operation with the scale markings 19 on an abutment 21, in the case of the arm 19, and an abutment 22 in the case of the arm 20. The abutment 22 is provided with a scale similar to 19 and it will, of course, be understood as clearly shown from Fig. 2, the top plan view, that the abutments 21 and 22 are on opposite sides of the axis of the arrow shaft so that when the set screws 19 and 20 are loosened, the slots in the arms will permit them to be moved in opposite directions in relation to the axis of the arrow shaft so as to give the feather the desired pitch, that is, an angular relation with respect to the arrow shaft which will cause it to turn in flight. The arms must be moved laterally equal distances using the scale index 19 and abutment scale 19 The foregoing describes the preferred arrangement but it would still be within the scope of the invention to make the arms 19 and 20 and abutments 21 and 22 on the same side of the shaft.

Referring further to the clamp supporting arms 19 and 20, it will be seen that the upper ends thereof are provided with the posts 23 and 24 intended to receive the cupped end portions 23 and 24 of the clamp C. This clamp, as will appear from Figs. 1 and 2, consists of two blades, namely the blade 25 which carries the cups 23 and 24 and a blade 26. Both of said blades 25 and 26 are carried by a spring yoke 27 having the finger gripping portions 2828 for separating the blades 25 and 26 to receive the feather, as shown for example in Figs. 1, 2 and 7.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the clamp is shown as set with its blades parallel to the axis of the arrow shaft so that the feather would be set not only radial to the shaft but parallel to the axis thereof. By moving the supporting arms 19 and 20 in opposite directions using scale marks 19 and 19 for example, with the precise amount of movement in each case, it will be seen that the posts 23 and 24 at the upper end of the arms will cause the clamp to hold the feather at an angle oblique to or across the axis of the arrow shaft.

Referring to Fig. 8, it will be seen that the jig frame may include the end walls 1 and 2 connected by a bottom portion 2 which supports thereon the wood feather cutting block 4 having scale 5* thereon. Otherwise the supporting means for the arrow shaft is identical with that previously described in connection with Figs. 1 to 7.

However, in connection with Fig. 8, it will be noted that the clamp is not used and for that reason the clamp supporting arms 19 and 20 are swung to their downward positions. Note also the dotted line position in Fig. 4. Since the clamp C is not used, the feathers F are secured to the shaft by pins 29 and 30, it, of course, being understood that appropriate adhesive is applied between the quill portion of the feather and the outer surface of the arrow. Where the pins are used in place of the clamp for setting the feathers the arrow shaft A may be turned step by step through the desired angle by the handle 8 of the socket element 8 in the same fashion as it will be turned when using the clamp C of Fig. 1.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present jig fulfills all the needs of a fietcher. For example, the base provides a trimming board for the feather. Also, the clamp supporting arms being movable from an upper clamp supporting position to a downward inoperative position makes it possible to use the clamp when metal arrow shafts are to be fletched, while at the same time, if the shaft of a wooden arrow is to be fietched and pins are to be used in place of the clamp, the arms may be swung to a completely out of the way position.

In that connection, the present invention provides another and important advantage, namely, when using pins 29 and 30 to apply the fletching, the arrow may be removed from the jig and set aside for the glue to dry, as soon as all of the feathers have been applied, and another arrow fietched immediately.

Referring to Fig. 1 where the clamp C is in positon to hold the feather F in relation to the shaft, it will be understood that the base of the feather F held between the blades 25 and 26 has glue applied thereto and the blades remain in place until the glue dries. It will also be understood that the two compass type scales are read with the pointers 9 and 17 starting with a zero position. In order to apply the next feather the arrow shaft A is rotated by turning the socket element 8 until the pointer 17 is pointing to the proper angular position on scale 14. The friction pointer 9 moves to the corresponding position on the compass type scale 12 on the outer face of bracket 6.

Having placed one feather in position as above described, and taking three feathered arrows as an example,

aeevgseo because they are the most common, their positions are marked by relatively heavy lines at intervals of 120, around the compass scales of rings 12 and 14. Four feathered arrows are the next most common arrow as shown in Fig. 10. In this case their positions are marked by medium heavy lines at intervals of 90, beginning at 45". An arrow having more than four feathers, as shown in Fig. 11 for example, may be positioned in correct successive angular positions by dividing the desired number of feathers into 360.

When the pin method of attaching the arrow to the shaft is used, that is wood shafts as shown in Fig. 8, the pointers 9 and 17 are first at the zero position, glue is applied to the quill or base of the feather and the pins 29 and 30, pressed through the quill into the wood. If the feather is to be straight or parallel to the axis of the arrow shaft, it will, of course, be understood that successive feathers are likewise disposed. However, if it is desired to give a pitch to a feather to permit it to cause the shaft to turn during flight, then with the scale pointers indicating zero, the rear pin 29 is first pressed through the feather quill into the shaft A in a true vertical position near the nock B. The socket element 8 is then rotated to in turn rotate the arrow shaft A until the positioning pointer 17 is pointing to the desired amount of spiral desired on compass scale 14 (Fig. 4). The opposite end of the feather quill is then pierced by pin 30 then the feather is pulled tight across the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft A. Pin 30 is then pressed into shaft A in a true vertical position at top dead center of shaft a and in line with 0 on scale 14.

Either right or left wing feathers, or artificial fletching may be attached to an arrow shaft either by using the clamp C or using the pins 29 and 30.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present jig provides for positive centering of the arrow shaft and even if a user fails to press the arrow nock inwardly to its limit, the spring clamp and cross key keeps the arrow centered in the proper position. The fact that the clamps may be placed in operative and inoperative positions makes it possible for the feather to be pinned to a wood shaft as previously indicated. Also, the compass scales 12 and 14 with their respective pointers 9 and 17 make it possible to fletch many types of arrows because without this visual means of locating the positions of the various numbers of fletching, a separate positioning device for each type of arrow would have to be provided, that is, one for three feathered arrows, another for four feathered arrows, etc.

I claim:

1. A multipurpose fletching jig comprising, spaced end walls disposed upwardly with respect to a horizontal base, one of said end walls having a notch at its upper edge for cradling the shaft of an arrow for angular movement, an arrow positioning bracket assembly ofiset outwardly of the upper portion of the other end wall and having an opening, a socket element rotatable in said opening and extending to either side of the bracket, said socket element having therein a spring nock gripping member and a transverse key, said member and key engaging the nock of an arrow shaft to hold the same against undesirable angular and rotational movement relative thereto, a pair of identical circular degree scales on the outer and inner faces of said bracket, and a pointer for each scale mounted radially on opposite portions of the socket element which extend to either side of the bracket.

2. A multipurpose flctching jig comprising, spaced end walls disposed upwardly with respect to a horizontal base, one of said end walls having a notch at its upper edge for cradling the shaft of an arrow for angular movement, an arrow positioning bracket assembly offset outwardly of the upper portion of the other end wall and having an opening, a socket element rotatable in said opening and having therein a spring gripping member and a transverse key, said member and key engaging the nock of an arrow shaft to hold the same against undesirable angular and rotational movement relative thereto, and also having a handle portion projecting beyond the outer face of the bracket, a pair of identical circular degree scales on the outer and inner faces of the bracket wherein the degree marks are radial to the axis of the socket and in relation to which marks the arrow shaft may be turned, a spring pointer carried by said handle and having its ends formed to frictionally engage with the outer surface of the bracket and to rest at selected degree marks, a collar on the inner portion of the socket member to move therewith, and a pointer radial to the collar and alined with said spring pointer to move therewith over the degree scale on the inner face of the bracket.

3. A multipurpose fletching jig comprising, spaced end walls disposed upwardly with respect to a horizontal base, said walls having threaded openings, one of said end walls having a notch at its upper edge for cradling the shaft of an arrow for angular movement, a bracket on the upper portion of the other end wall, a rotatable socket element alined with said notch for receiving the nock of an arrow, a pair of identical degree scales on opposite faces of said bracket, and a pointer mounted on and rotatably with said socket opposite each scale, a clamp supporting arm for each end wall and having a slot, a set screw having its threaded shank disposed through a related slot and also adju-stably threaded in its related opening in an end wall, an abutment on the inner face of each end wall below and outwardly of each slot, said arms each being swingable from a lower inoperative position to an upper operative position determined by engagement with said abutments, and a feather clamp detachably mounted on the upper ends of the arms when they are in an upper operative position.

4. A multipurpose fletching jig comprising, spaced end walls disposed upwardly with respect to a horizontal base, said walls having threaded openings, one of said end walls having a notch at its upper edge for cradling the shaft of an arrow for angular movement, a bracket on the upper portion of the other end wall, a rotatable socket element mounted in said bracket and alined with said notch for receiving the nock of an arrow, a pair of identical degree scales on opposite faces of said bracket and surrounding said socket, and a pointer mounted on and rotatably with said socket opposite each scale, a pair of clamp supporting arms each having a horizontal slot, a set screw for each arm in a related slot and engaging a threaded opening in the end wall, an abutment on the inner face of each end wall below and outwardly of each slot, said arms each being swingable from a lower inoperative position to an upper operative position determined by engagement with said abutments, the slots of the arms being slidable on the set screws from an alined position to selected positions in opposite directions to alter the pitch of a feather in relation, to the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft, posts on the outer ends of said arms, and a feather clamp having two blades one of which is provided with end socket portions for fitting over said posts.

5. A multipurpose fletching jig comprising, spaced end walls disposed upwardly with respect to a horizontal base, one of said end walls having a notch at its upper edge for cradling the shaft of an arrow for angular movement, a bracket ofliset outwardly of the upper portion of the other end wall, a rotatable socket element on the bracket and alined with said notch for receiving the nock of an arrow, a pair of identical degree scales on opposite faces of said bracket, a pointer mounted on and rotatably with said socket opposite each scale, and feather supporting and clamping means pivotally and horizontally adjustable on each upright wall for setting a feather at a selected pitch across the longitudinal axis of the arrow shaft.

6. A multipurpose fletching jig, comprising, an elon- 7 gated base, upstanding walls at opposite ends of the base, cooperating means on the upper portion of the walls to support and turn the shaft of an arrow through a given angular distance corresponding to the number of feathers to be set radially of the shaft, a feather pitch determining clamp, and clamp supporting arms having slots mounted for horizontal sliding and pivotal movement on supports on the walls, abutment means on the inner face of each wall below and outwardly of each slot, said abutment means serving to hold the arms upright and having scale marks whereby the arms may be slidably References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Belshaw Feb. 7, 1933 1,896,536 2,212,421 Henderson Aug. 20, 1940 2,286,574 Rohde June 16, 1942 2,742,064

Quist Apr. 17, 1956 

